Griffins Believe in Championship
The Griffins have their sights set high this year, as they hope to capitalize on their progress over the past two seasons.
“Our ultimate goal is to win a championship,” said junior Demetrius Isaac, the captain of the team. “Everything we do, have done and will do will be to progress toward a championship.”
Last season, the Griffins finished with an overall 13–15 record and a 10–9 record in the Central Athletic Collegiate Conference. Their conference record earned them a CACC playoff spot as the number eight seed. However, their season would come to an end in the first round when they fell to Bloomfield, 79–69.
The team’s accomplishments last season were impressive considering they had only six upperclassmen on the 15-man roster. Although Coach Jesse Balcer’s team is still very young, with only one senior on the team, they boast ten returnees. Experience is typically more valuable than age and these Griffins’ certainly have it.
The coaches in the conference have also taken notice of the men’s basketball team and it was voted to finish second place in the CACC South Division and was picked to finish fourth overall.
“Last year is when we started to see what we’re capable of and how we can take advantage of our athleticism and speed by playing a more up tempo game,” said Liban Awl, a second-year player for the Griffins. “I think the main difference from this year’s team opposed to last year’s is that we are all a year older and more experienced. That will help us be more poised in close game situations and be able to sneak out must needed wins.”
Junior captains Edward McWade and Demetrius Isaac will be leading the young Griffins into battle this season. The team will also rely on senior J.J. Butler, a transfer student from Lipscomb University.
The men’s basketball team will compete against conference rivals Philadelphia University, regional powerhouse Southern New Hampshire University, and Division 1 Coppin State University.
“These games, among others, win or lose, will show us what things we need to improve on in order to accomplish what we want out of this season,” said Awl.
The Griffins’ season kicked off with a game against Franklin Pierce University on Nov. 12 at Philadelphia University. The first home game is 8 p.m. Nov. 16 against conference foe Georgian Court University in Sorgenti Arena.
